- An upgraded ventilation system will improve operational efficiencies while protecting the health & safety of workers
- The upgraded system involves the installation of a new 125 HP main exhaust fan, located in the northwest outside area of the mine, and three auxiliary fans located in the operational levels of the mine
- Mine development and civil work on the system have begun with completion expected in mid-June
- Altiplano Metals Inc. (APN) is a Canadian mining company
- Altiplano Metals Inc. (APN) is up 8 per cent, trading at C$0.405 per share at 10 am ET
Altiplano Metals (APN) has engaged an engineering firm to design and install a new ventilation system for the Farellon mine.
The implementation of the new ventilation system is part of the ongoing development at Farellon and prepares the company for optimizing mine output over the next few months in advance of the mill start-up.
The upgrade in ventilation improves operational efficiencies by increasing the number of allowable operating equipment, reducing the time needed for restart after production blasts, and increasing the number of active mine faces.
These changes will allow the company to employ greater selective mining methods designed to improve the grade and increase the total tonnes extracted from the current approximately 3,500 tonnes/month to the maximum permitted limit of 5,000 tonnes/month.
The upgrade in the ventilation system also ensures optimal ventilation is available to maintain the underground health and safety of the work crew as the Farellon mine advances to lower levels and operates on multiple headings. The new system will also add additional safe exit points through escape ways as part of the raise system that will be created to support airflow between the working levels.
The ventilation system is designed to achieve a flow rate of 53 kCFM (cubic feet per minute) and involves the installation of a new 125 HP main exhaust fan, located in the northwest outside area of the mine, and three auxiliary fans located in the operational levels of the mine.
Mine development and civil work on the system have begun with final completion expected in mid-June.
CEO Alastair McIntyre commented,
“Investing in infrastructure to ensure the well-being of our staff while increasing operational efficiencies are top priorities. The ventilation system upgrade not only reduces the contaminants produced by the equipment inside the mine but also reduces the time after advancement rounds by 70%. With improved airflow, we are able to reduce the time to complete a mining cycle by 20% and thus our time underground and output is optimized.” McIntyre further comments, “With the ventilation upgrade in place, we can improve on our mining costs and grade while positioning ourselves to receive an increased output of high-grade material at the mill to take full advantage of lower processing costs.”
Altiplano Metals Inc. (APN) is a Canadian mining company focused on the acquisition and development of near-term cash-flowing assets and exploration projects of significant scale.
Altiplano’s goal is to grow into a mid-tier producer of copper, gold and silver with immediate plans of generating profits from three cash-flowing projects in 2021.
Altiplano Metals Inc. (APN) is up 8 per cent, trading at C$0.405 per share at 10 am ET.
